The CAER and The University of Akron Sign Master Research Agreement

05/17/2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 11, 2013

Lynchburg, Virginia ¬– The Center for Advanced Engineering and Research (CAER) this week established a five-year master research agreement with The University of Akron (UA) to work together to sustain and improve the growth of targeted industry clusters in Virginia’s Region 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement, UA and the CAER agree to work together in the development of research and educational projects in the targeted area of nuclear energy and in identifying resources needed to implement these plans. The university will provide personnel and expertise to the CAER for administrative, research and educational support services that will benefit the region's high-tech companies. The CAER will provide funding through federal, state and industry sources and assist in managing the research projects with the university.

“With this new agreement we continue to build research capacity and expertise in our target technology sectors,” says Bob Bailey, executive director of the CAER. “Having the University of Akron join our team only strengthens our region’s assets.”

“This partnership will strengthen and expand the College of Engineering’s nuclear engineering certificate program by allowing us to offer graduate students new educational and research opportunities using world-class simulators and control rooms,” says Dr. Wieslaw K. Binienda, chair of UA’s Department of Civil Engineering. “Roughly half of our nuclear engineering students attend part-time while working full-time in the nuclear and power industry, and the benefits of this partnership will directly transfer back to those employers.”

The CAER has similar partnerships with the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, James Madison University and Liberty University’s School of Engineering & Computational Sciences (SECS).

CAERAs a member of Virginia’s Region 2000 Partnership, the CAER is dedicated to building an industry-based research presence in the region, in support of area companies. The CAER creates working relationships between high-tech industries, major R&D centers and universities, and facilitates professional development opportunities for scientists and engineers in the region. Its 30,000 square-foot research and education facility, located in the New London Business and Technology Center in Bedford County, will serve as the region’s source for industry innovation in nuclear and wireless technologies. For more information on the CAER visit www.caer.us.

University of AkronThe University of Akron offers more than 300 associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate and law degree programs – with accreditations by 35 professional agencies. With nearly 30,000 students and $46.7 million in sponsored research awards, UA is among the nation's strongest public universities focused on innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in community and economic growth. Programs are targeted to diverse groups of learners, including full-time, part-time and on-line students, veterans, and adults returning to the classroom. The distinctive Akron Experience enhances post-graduate success through internships and co-ops, academic research (both undergraduate and graduate), study abroad, on-campus student employment, and service projects.